Approval rates
Comparing approval rates requires looking at consistent timeframes to ensure the data is meaningful. While John Noel has a 55% approval rate on record since 2016, recent performance shows a 68% approval rate in the latest reporting period, which sits 9 percentage points above the Hartford office average of 59%. These figures are derived from a large docket of 3,988 decisions, providing a stable view of past trends. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
Office- and national-level breakdowns of fully favorable vs denial rates aren't currently published by SSA in the per-office disposition data. The judge's own breakdown is the detail we have today.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Noel's docket. Annual rates fluctuate with the mix of cases SSA assigns; the longer-run pattern is more informative than any single year.
Decision pattern
Your judge's approval rate has shown a clear upward trend since 2016, rising from 34% in the early part of the record to 73% in 2025. This pattern reflects a significant shift in decision-making over the last decade across 3,988 total decisions. While the 2026 fiscal year-to-date figure of 68% remains high, it represents a partial year of data. The latest period reflects a continuation of this steady pattern of higher approval rates compared to the long-term average.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Noel's bench. Judge-specific preparation guidance requires a corpus of public Appeals Council decisions involving each judge, which we haven't built yet.
- Bring a clean treating-physician record. Longitudinal primary-care or specialist notes spanning the disability period, with consistent symptom documentation, are typically the strongest evidence at hearing. A single month's records usually aren't enough.
- Don't rely on consultative exams alone. If your medical evidence is built primarily around a one-time CE finding, expect detailed questioning. Supplement with treating-source statements where possible.
- Prepare for daily-activity questions. Have honest, specific answers about a typical day. Answers that conflict with the medical record (in either direction) tend to hurt credibility.
- Expect transferable-skills probing. A vocational expert will usually testify about jobs available to someone with your limitations. Your representative should be prepared to cross-examine.
About the Hartford hearing office
John Noel's most recent office on record is the Hartford hearing office, with decisions there through July 2026. This office serves you and other claimants throughout Connecticut and the surrounding region. With a bench of 9 judges, the office maintains a latest-period approval rate of 59%. You can expect a formal administrative process where evidence quality and medical documentation are the primary factors in your outcome. You can see the Hartford Hearing Office page for the full roster.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Hartford
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the specific judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 9 judges whose most recent office on record is this one, with 6 of them having decided cases in the latest SSA file from July 2026. Approval rates among this bench range from 27% to 74% on their since-2016 records. For preparation purposes, the guidance is the same regardless of which judge you are assigned.
Approval rates change with a lawyer
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.
Frequently asked questions
In the latest reporting period, John Noel's 68% approval rate is 9 percentage points higher than the Hartford office average of 59%. Because case assignment is random, working with a qualified attorney can help you ensure your medical evidence is prepared to meet the specific standards of your assigned judge.
Yes, the data shows a clear upward trend. John Noel's approval rate was 34% in 2016 and reached 73% in 2025, based on 3,988 total decisions on record. A free case review can help you understand how these trends might relate to the specific evidence in your claim, and an attorney can help you prepare for your hearing.
No, you cannot choose your judge. The Social Security Administration assigns cases using a workload-balancing algorithm to ensure efficiency. Since you cannot control the assignment, focusing on the strength of your medical evidence with an attorney is the best way to prepare for your hearing.
An SSDI hearing is a non-adversarial proceeding where an Administrative Law Judge reviews your medical records and hears your testimony. You may be questioned by the judge or a vocational expert about your ability to perform work. An attorney can help you prepare for this process and ensure your testimony is clear and consistent with your medical records.
